English Idioms

What are idioms?

 Idioms are expressions which have a meaning that is not

obvious from the individual words.
 The best way to understand an idiom is to see it in
context.
 Most idioms are fixed in their form and cannot be changed
or varied.
 As it can be difficult to work out what an idiom means, you
will often need to look them up in a dictionary.

Why do we learn idioms?

 To improve our level of English
 To understand native speakers
 Types of idioms:

1) Some idioms are imaginative expressions such as

proverbs and sayings e.g.: Too many cooks spoil the
broth.
2) Other idioms are short expressions that are used for a
particular purpose: Get lost!
3) Some are considered as idioms because their form is
fixed: for certain
4) Similes: white like a chalk
5) Bionimals: safe and sound (trionimals)
6) From grammatical point of view we distinguish:
verb+object/complement, prepositional phrase,
compound or whole clauses or sentences, e.g. to cut a
short story long
He spilled the beans

He told the
secret
Get off my back!

Leave me alone!
 We were in stitches!

We were laughing very

hard!
He kicked the bucket!

He died
Go fly a kite!

Go away!
 She was dressed to kill

She was dressed in her finest

clothing
I’m at the end of my rope!

I am so-o-o frustrated!
You have to bite the bullet

You need to put up with this

difficult situation
Teachers always stick to
their guns

Teachers never change their

opinions
 Money talks

Money influences a lot of

people.

Have
you
heard
about
that
new TV?
Common Idiomatic Phrases &
Expressions
Idiom Meaning
1. A penny for your thoughts 1. This idiom is used as a way of
2. Add insult to injury asking someone what they are
3. Once in a blue moon thinking about.
4. See eye to eye 2. To make a bad situation even
worse.
5. Hear it on the grapevine
3. When something happens very
6. Miss the boat rarely.
4. idiom is used to say that two (or
more people) agree on
something.
5. This means ‘to hear a rumor'
about something or someone.
6. This idiom is used to say that
someone missed his or her
chance at something.
Common Idiomatic Phrases &
Expressions
Idiom Meaning
1. Kill two birds with one stone 1. This means ‘to do two things at
2. On the ball the same time'.
3. Cut corners 2. When someone understands the
4. To hear something straight from situation well.
the horse's mouth 3. When something is done badly to
5. Costs an arm and a leg save money.
6. The last straw 4. To hear something from the
authoritative source.
5. When something is very
expensive.
6. The final problem in a series of
problems
Common Idiomatic Phrases &
Expressions
Idiom
 Take what someone says with a
grain of salt
 Sit on the fence
 The best of both worlds
 Put wool over other people's eyes
Meaning
 This means not to take what
someone says too seriously.
There is a big possibility that
what he/she says is only partly
true.
 This is used when someone does
not want to choose or make a
decision.
 All the advantages.
 This means to deceive someone
into thinking well of them.
Common Idiomatic Phrases &
Expressions
Idiom Meaning
1. Speak of the devil! 1. This expression is used when the
2. Feeling a bit under the weather person you have just been talking
about arrives.
2. Feeling ill.
We can divide idioms into different categories:

e.g.

 Body parts
 Animals
 Nature
 Food
 Money
 Sport
 Colours

etc.
 Body parts
 two-faced = someone deceitful or insincere
 take the words out of somebody's mouth = to say
exactly what someone else was going to say
 catch somebody's eye = someone you find attractive
 all ears = you are listening very attentively
 turn up one's nose at something = st you reject
because you think it is not good enough for you
 a pain in the neck = a person who is very irritating
or annoying
 to get cold feet = to begin to hesitate about doing st;
(you are no longer sure whether you want to do it or
not)
 foot the bill = pay for st
 keep someone on their toes = make them stay alert Watch the Foot
and ready for action at any time Idioms here!
 give sb the cold shoulder = to deliberately ignore sb
 pull sb’s leg = teasing sb by telling them something
that is not true
 on the tip of your tongue = a word or an answer that
you're sure you know but have difficulty finding it
 have your hands full = you are very busy or you have
a lot to do
 keep your fingers crossed = hope that something will
be successful
Animals
 like a bat out of hell = something that moves
very quickly
 kill two birds with one stone = to succeed in
doing two things at the same time
 as the crow flies = This expression refers to
distance measured in a straight line
 let the cat out of the bag = reveal a secret, often
not intentionally
 raining cats and dogs = it's raining very heavily
 work like a dog = very hard
 have kittens = a dramatic way of expressing
worry, anxiety or fear
 sounds or smells fishy = you are suspicious about
it Watch the Dog
 guinea pig = people on whom new methods,
treatment or ideas are tested
Idioms here!
 mouse potato = This term refers to a person
who spends a lot of time in front of the computer
 pigs might fly = expresses disbelief, or the idea
that miracles might happen but are extremely
unlikely
 a snake in the grass = refers to someone who
pretends to be your friend while actually betraying
you
Nature
 in the dark = someone who is kept or left in
the dark about something, is not informed
about it
 save (something) for a rainy day = to keep
an amount of money for a time in the future
when it might be needed
 Once in a blue moon = something that occurs
very rarely
 chasing rainbows = Someone trying to get
something they will never obtain
 storm in a teacup = refers to something you
think people are making a lot of unnecessary
fuss or excitement about and is unimportant
 face like thunder = someone who looks very
angry
 under the weather = not feeling very well
Food
 cool as a cucumber = a person who is not
anxious, but relaxed and non-emotional
 spill the beans = reveal a secret or talk
about something private
 The best thing since sliced bread
 the icing on the cake = an extra benefit
that makes a good situation even better
 food for thought = something that makes
you think very hard about something
 hot potato = a very sensitive and Watch the Pie
controversial matter which is difficult to Idioms here!
deal with
 easy as pie = something that it is very easy
to do
 The proof of the pudding is in the eating =
means that something new can only be
judged after it has been tested.
Money
 burn your fingers = suffer financially as a
result of foolish behaviour
 cost an arm and a leg = something that is
very expensive
 go Dutch with sb = to share the cost of
something, such as a meal or a concert
 feel the pinch = begin to suffer from a lack of
money
 golden handshake = generous sum of money
given to a person when they leave a company
or retire
 money to burn = People who have so much
money that they can spend it on anything they
want
 money talks = means that people with a lot of
money have power and influence
 nest egg = a reserve of money which you put
aside for future needs
 be paid peanuts = have a very low salary
 splash out on something = spend a lot of
money on it
Sport
 have a ball = to have a good time or
enjoy yourself
 the ball is in your court = it is your turn
to speak or act next
 play the game = to accept to do things
according to the rules laid down by others
 give the game away = to reveal a secret
or a plan, often unintentionally
 paddle one's own canoe = to do what
you want to do without help or
interference from anyone
 sail through something = (e.g. a test or
an exam) to succeed in doing it without
difficulty
 skating on thin ice = doing or saying
something that could cause disagreement
or trouble
 take someone for a ride = to deceive or
cheat someone
Colours
 black mood = to be irritable, angry or even
depressed
 blue chip company = refers to a company with a
solid reputation for the quality of its products and
the stability of its growth and earnings
 blue-eyed boy = somebody's favourite
 golden opportunity = a favourable time or
excellent occasion which should not be missed
 silver spoon = to be born with a silver spoon in
your mouth means that your family is very rich
and privileged
 to have green fingers = to be good at gardening
 green with envy = a person who is very envious
 to have a grey existence = to lead a dull,
monotonous life
 in the pink of health = to be in excellent physical
condition or extremely healthy
 to be in the red = to owe money or have a
negative account
 see red = become very angry or annoyed about st
Others
 burn the candle at both ends = exhaust
yourself by doing too much, especially
going to bed late and getting up early
 dig one's own grave = a person who does
something which causes their own downfall
 hard as nails = a person who is
unsentimental and shows no sympathy
 speak off the cuff = say st spontaneously,
without previous thought or preparation
 tell a white lie = to say something which is
not true in order to protect someone or to
avoid hurting their feelings
 turn over a new leaf = to decide to change
your behaviour and lead a better life
 in someone's shoes = to imagine how you
would react if you were in a similar
situation as that person
Test your knowledge
TEST 1
Fill in the gaps.

1) I won the lottery today!- Really? No, I was pulling your …………
2) By studying on the train on the way home every week-end, Claire kills
two ………… with one stone.
3) We'll have to cancel the picnic I'm afraid. It's raining …………………………
4) It's two miles from here to the station as ……………………, but of course
it's much further by road.
5) Do you believe what she said? Her story sounds ………… to me.
6) My grandmother buying a computer? ... Yeah, and ………… might fly!
7) My son and his friends are all mouse …………… - constantly glued to
the computer!
8) His mother nearly had ………… when Alex announced that he wanted to
be a trapeze artist.
9) Come on! Spill the …………! What did he say?
10) The documentary on poverty in the world really gave me ………… for
thought.

/See the results in KEY/

TEST 2 part 1/3

Choose the right answer.

1) I don't trust Jack. I find him ………………

a) two-headed
b) three-eyed
c) two-faced

2) I entirely agree with you. You took the words out of my …………
a) head
b) mouth
c) hand

3) When Dad is really angry, he has a face like …………

a) thunder
b) storm
c) cloud
TEST 2 part 2/3

4) Good news! I get the job and the ……… on the cake is
that I get a company car too.
a) cherry
b) cream
c) icing

5) Don't mention that subject during the negotiations or you could be …………
on thin ice.
a) running
b) walking
c) skating

6) Don't expect any sympathy from him. He's as hard as …………

a) nails
b) hammer
c) stone
TEST 2 part 3/3

7) I'm doing my driving test tomorrow. Keep your …………

crossed for me.
a) fingers
b) fists
c) toes

8) Young people today tend to go ………… when they go out together.

a) French
b) Dutch
c) Danish

9) It's usually safe to invest in a …………-chip company.

a) golden
b) blue
c) white

/See the results in KEY/

TEST 3
Correct the mistakes.

1) Of course I'm not going to buy a sports car. I was just pulling your arm!
2) After giving my opinion, he gave me the hot shoulder.
3) Of course I want to know - I'm one ear!
4) How did the English test go? - No problem - it was easy as cake!
5) Bill has very little contact with his brother. They see each other once in a
full moon.
6) She's trying to get into Harvard but I think she's chasing cats.
7) When Charlie left prison, he was determined to turn over a new page.
8) The house cost us an arm and a hand, but we have no regrets.
9) Anne has a very interesting job but she's paid grains. Her salary is very
low.
10) Our parents consider the money from the sale of their house as a bed
egg for their old age.
11) If you drop out of college now, with such high unemployment, you'll be
digging your own tomb!

/See the results in KEY/

KEY 1

Fill in the gaps:

1) leg
2) birds
3) cats and dogs
4) the crow flies
5) fishy
6) pigs
7) potatoes
8) kittens
9) beans
10) food
KEY 2

Choose the right answer:

1) C
2) B
You should not try to guess!
3) A If you did, we can say:
„It was just a blind guess.“
4) C
5) C
6) A
7) A
8) B
9) B
KEY 3

Correct the mistakes:

1) pulling your leg
2) cold shoulder
3) all ears
4) easy as pie
5) blue moon
6) chasing rainbows
7) new leaf
8) an arm and a leg
9) peanuts
10) nest egg
11) grave
 Congratulations for
passing the tests ! ! !

To those who failed:

If you’ve obtained less than 70% don’t run away and go
through the theory again!
Other study resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:English_idioms
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/idioms.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/multimedia/the_teacher/
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/
http://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idioms_proverbs.html
http://web1.150240.vserver.de/wm/main.cgi
http://www.goenglish.com/Idioms.asp
http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/idioms.htm
http://www.idiomsite.com/
http://www.english-at-home.com/idioms/
http://www.edict.com.hk/vlc/idioms/
http://www.cambridge.org/elt/inuse/pdfs/idioms_quiz.pdf
http://www.world-english.org/englishidiomstest.htm
http://a4esl.org/q/h/idioms.html